After 11 games we're 8-3. Let's revisit our thoughts and outlook on Coach Kalen DeBoer

[bamaclimber]

Trying to figure out how a guy with a reputation for offense hasn't been able to do anything more with Alabama's offense in week 11 than he did in week 1.

Was DeBoer's success on offense tied to the OC he lost the NFL? What about his overall success as a coach?

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Fun Fact - Alabama has more losses this season to unranked opponents than the last 16 years combined.

That's really more of a testament to how great Saban was for such a long time than a reflection of DeBoer. Saban started having stats like that too, towards the end. The decline did not begin with DeBoer.

 

[bamadwain]

Trying to figure out how a guy with a reputation for offense hasn't been able to do anything more with Alabama's offense in week 11 than he did in week 1.

Was DeBoer's success on offense tied to the OC he lost the NFL? What about his overall success as a coach?

I think losing Grubb to the NFL hurt more than people realize, but when you have a incompetent QB who has tied your hands, this what you get

 

[B1GTide]

That's really more of a testament to how great Saban was for such a long time than a reflection of DeBoer. Saban started having stats like that too, towards the end. The decline did not begin with DeBoer.

Not really. Saban took a team with more problems than this to the CFP last year with only one loss, and that loss to another CFP team.

 

[countrytider]

Not really. Saban took a team with more problems than this to the CFP last year with only one loss, and that loss to another CFP team.

12-2. SEC Champions. CFP appearance (4 teamer). Stopped UGA from a potential 3-peat.

I absolutely refuse the narrative by a few well-known posters who continue to somehow frame last year as a disappointment.

Also, a few as well who border-line blame Saban for this years disappointment, more so than DeBoer.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Not really. Saban took a team with more problems than this to the CFP last year with only one loss, and that loss to another CFP team.

Yes, and most everyone said at the time that it was the greatest coaching job of his career. So we're trying to compare the greatest job of the greatest coach of all time to the job of a first year coach in the SEC? No wonder everyone Is so dreary. The expectations are unattainable.

And just because he made the CFP doesn't mean there wasn't some decline during the last few years.His teams set Saban records for both penalties the last several years. Two years ago, we had more 3 and outs than the entire Saban era combined. Those are the types things I'm talking about. Saban finding a way to win masked a lot of our issues, and for some reason everyone seems to remember the Bama teams of 6 or 7 years ago, but they don't seem to remember how incredibly frustrating the last few years had been even before Saban's retirement.

Also, last year's schedule was easier, so it's difficult to compare between years. The SEC is tougher from top to bottom this year too. Last year was a down year for the SEC as a whole. That's why it's not fair to DeBoer to make comparisons like that. And you don't know that last year's team had more issues. It doesn't seem like that's the case at all. This team has a ton of problems. That's why we're 8-3.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

12-2. SEC Champions. CFP appearance (4 teamer). Stopped UGA from a potential 3-peat.

I absolutely refuse the narrative by a few well-known posters who continue to somehow frame last year as a disappointment.

Also, a few as well who border-line blame Saban for this years disappointment, more so than DeBoer.

Saban is certainly not without fault. He's the one who allowed certain players to hijack his team. And that's okay. Mistakes happen. Saban was a legend, but he wasn't perfect.

 

[countrytider]

Saban is certainly not without fault. He's the one who allowed certain players to hijack his team. And that's okay. Mistakes happen. Saban was a legend, but he wasn't perfect.

I say all that acknowledging this completely.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

Do the recruits really care about who the coaches are, or do they only care about the money? For instance, look at the QB that flipped from LSU to Michigan. I really can't see that Michigan's head coach is better than LSU's coach. Besides, if the players are not happy after one year, they will just transfer to another school for more money. The players are working the system to their advantage and making life-changing money that some families never make in their entire lives.

I do not know, but I would rather go to a team with stable coaching for 2.5 mil than go into an unknown for 3.2 mil.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

Our D cost us the Vandy game.

I respectfully disagree about this. There was enough blame for both sides to feel bad about.

 

[colbysullivan]

Exactly...how that game can be pinned on anyone on offense when they scored 35 points with only like 17 minutes of possession is beyond me.

The D and Womack are the reason we lost that game.

Well, a pick 6 and fumble at the absolute worst time certainly help. 60% defense, 40% offense’s fault.

 

[colbysullivan]

Trying to figure out how a guy with a reputation for offense hasn't been able to do anything more with Alabama's offense in week 11 than he did in week 1.

Was DeBoer's success on offense tied to the OC he lost the NFL? What about his overall success as a coach?

Because he knows there is nothing that can be done about this clownshow at the QB position until “those players” are gone.

 

[davefrat]

The D did not help much against OU either. 267 yards on the ground on 50 carries (over 5ypc)! The QB had half that. You'd think they would have walked more people up to stop that after 40 carries or so.

The entire team was horrendous against OU…not a single bright spot that I can think of.

My point re the Vandy game is that it’s hard to blame the offense when they score 2 points every minute they possess the ball.

The OU game is the worst performance I have seen by a Bama team in almost forever.

 

[davefrat]

Well, a pick 6 and fumble at the absolute worst time certainly help. 60% defense, 40% offense’s fault.

Nope…can’t agree with that.

The offense scored more than 2 points every minute it possessed the ball against Vandy.

That game is almost completely on the defense for letting Vandy control the ball for 43 minutes and being nearly totally incapable of getting any stops.

 

[davefrat]

12-2. SEC Champions. CFP appearance (4 teamer). Stopped UGA from a potential 3-peat.

I absolutely refuse the narrative by a few well-known posters who continue to somehow frame last year as a disappointment.

Also, a few as well who border-line blame Saban for this years disappointment, more so than DeBoer.

Winning the SEC championship is always the mark of a successful season for me.

Blaming Saban is just dumb.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Because he knows there is nothing that can be done about this clownshow at the QB position until “those players” are gone.

Yeah, the one thing that seems suspicious about the whole QB situation is that if DeBoer thought he already has the QB on the roster who could run his offense next season (Simpson?) then why didn't he install his offense this season and go with Simpson instead of waiting for next? It's foolish to go with a QB who can't run it just so the guy can pad his stats and maybe go higher in the draft. OTOH if DeBoer doesn't think he currently has the QB to run his offense then he'll have to turn to the portal and Simpson has no future.

 

[BamaMoon]

Trying to figure out how a guy with a reputation for offense hasn't been able to do anything more with Alabama's offense in week 11 than he did in week 1.

Was DeBoer's success on offense tied to the OC he lost the NFL? What about his overall success as a coach?

I'll say again, a guy who has won 90% of his games as a HC at multiple schools doesn't suddenly forgot how he did that.

But if you are struggling to understand what's different look no further than Penix throwing for almost 5000 yards last year at Washington and JM throwing for less than 2500 to date. I'm bad at math, but that sounds like we are operating with about 50% less offense in the passing game, which is where it's at in modern college football!

 

[BamaMoon]

Last year?

It might have been one of CNS's best coaching jobs.

That team was just as flawed as this one. How we recovered from the circus that was taking place early on last year to win the SEC in dominant fashion was truly amazing.

Never figured we had the horses to go the whole way. The team was too flawed, but CNS squeezed the juice at of that team!

 

[davefrat]

Last year?

It might have been one of CNS's best coaching jobs.

That team was just as flawed as this one. How we recovered from the circus that was taking place early on last year to win the SEC in dominant fashion was truly amazing.

Never figured we had the horses to go the whole way. The team was too flawed, but CNS squeezed the juice at of that team!

The narrative that a greedy aging Saban mortgaged the future for one last run at glory is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen posted here.

Seems like there’s been more idiotic nonsense posted on this board in less than a year than in the last 20 combined.

 

[CrimSonami]

Saban is certainly not without fault. He's the one who allowed certain players to hijack his team. And that's okay. Mistakes happen. Saban was a legend, but he wasn't perfect.

Saban IS a legend. Perfect, no. You are correct but the closest any coach has ever come IMO.